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bp39's review against another edition
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
acacia_happy_hour's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
leny_ba99's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
emilyconstance's review against another edition
5.0
John Steinbeck you would've loved the Twilight Zone. This collection of short stories follows the residents of the tranquil "Pastures of Heaven" as they come to terms with their fate (or a 'curse,' as they likely believed). As Nagel writes in the introduction, Steinbeck was heavily inspired by the ideologies of American Literary Naturalism--"a pessimistic determinism"--that had preceded his writing, which, in the world of fiction, typically manifested itself as stories about "static" characters as they struggle against caustic forces beyond their control, almost always ending in tragedy. But while previous writers wrote prominently about natural and socio-economic forces beyond human or individual control, respectively, Steinbeck instead focuses on the restrictions set by human nature itself; the "curse," in this case, isn't a haunted house, as the townspeople believe...or even mere instances of bad luck...but rather their own self-imposed limitations, as set by their own hubris, that does them in. As Nagal writes, "the underlying tragedy is that although this rich valley presents the promise of a fulfilling life, the characters within it are restricted or so driven by self-deception and obsession that they do not make the most of their abundant opportunities."
In a way, Steinbeck perhaps even mocks how people often waste their self-obsession. In all of these stories, there is a theme of the main character grappling with what others will think of them, and how much they do or don't care, and how badly, or how little, they need others. But in the process of being so concerned about their appearances and how they are perceived by others, they inadvertently set themselves up for tragedy down the road. This is most obvious in the stories of "Shark" Wicks, Helen Van Deventer, and Pat Humbert--the latter especially so. After his parents die, the narrator explains how he doesn't know what to do with himself now that there is no one to demand things of him, and so he lets his house fall into disarray. But when an opportunity comes for him to woe some girl by remodeling his living space, he puts all this time and effort into making his home a "warm and welcoming" place. But when he finds out that he's missed out on the opportunity to get the girl, he sleeps in the barn without ever considering the idea that perhaps he created a living space perfect for *himself.*
To drive up this point even further, he contrasts these stories with those of Tularecito and Junius Maltby, sensible people who have seemingly escaped this path to self-destruction and live happy lives freed from the reliance on others, i.e. the need for acceptance or to "fit in..." but who are otherwise destroyed by the secondary characters in their story: the very people who do have a crippling need for others' approval. In his most glaring criticism of such people, the narrator notes, "the people of the valley told many stories about Junius. Sometimes they hated him with the loathing busy people have for lazy ones, and sometimes they envied his laziness; but often they pitied him because he blundered so. No one in the valley ever realized that he was happy."
Overall, I loved these stories very much...no one does "world-building" as well as Steinbeck does. His descriptions always floor me. His impressive knowledge of local flowers and trees...the way he personifies the wind, the mountains. Every little detail. Definitely my favorite author.
In a way, Steinbeck perhaps even mocks how people often waste their self-obsession. In all of these stories, there is a theme of the main character grappling with what others will think of them, and how much they do or don't care, and how badly, or how little, they need others. But in the process of being so concerned about their appearances and how they are perceived by others, they inadvertently set themselves up for tragedy down the road. This is most obvious in the stories of "Shark" Wicks, Helen Van Deventer, and Pat Humbert--the latter especially so. After his parents die, the narrator explains how he doesn't know what to do with himself now that there is no one to demand things of him, and so he lets his house fall into disarray. But when an opportunity comes for him to woe some girl by remodeling his living space, he puts all this time and effort into making his home a "warm and welcoming" place. But when he finds out that he's missed out on the opportunity to get the girl, he sleeps in the barn without ever considering the idea that perhaps he created a living space perfect for *himself.*
To drive up this point even further, he contrasts these stories with those of Tularecito and Junius Maltby, sensible people who have seemingly escaped this path to self-destruction and live happy lives freed from the reliance on others, i.e. the need for acceptance or to "fit in..." but who are otherwise destroyed by the secondary characters in their story: the very people who do have a crippling need for others' approval. In his most glaring criticism of such people, the narrator notes, "the people of the valley told many stories about Junius. Sometimes they hated him with the loathing busy people have for lazy ones, and sometimes they envied his laziness; but often they pitied him because he blundered so. No one in the valley ever realized that he was happy."
Overall, I loved these stories very much...no one does "world-building" as well as Steinbeck does. His descriptions always floor me. His impressive knowledge of local flowers and trees...the way he personifies the wind, the mountains. Every little detail. Definitely my favorite author.
dharmabum76's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this, I felt like I knew these characters; like I lived in this town.
cassandralh's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
j_k_nelson's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful and brilliant telling of the human experience.